Method for making fast-colored crepe paper and resulting product



Oct. 22, 1929. SAYL 1,732,540

METHOD FOR MAKING FAST COLORED CREPE PAPER AND RESULTING PRODECT Filed001;. 2, 1926 Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GALENH.

SAYLER, OF FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DENNISON TION OFMASSACHUSETTS METHOD FOR MAKING FAST-COLORED CREPE PAPER AND RESULTINGPRODUCT Application filed October 2, 1926. Serial No. 139,176.

This invention relates to a method for making colored crepe paper (moreespecially from light weight papers or tissues) which is non-bleeding orrelatively fast, and to the resulting product.

In the art as heretofore known and practiced, it has not beenaccomplished to make a crepe paper of brilliant coloration which alsoretains its color upon becoming wet. As a consequence, in subsequentsteps of manufacture or in the course of using such products it has beennecessary to avoid any appreciable contact with moisture, since thecoloring matter is readily dissolved and removed. Even' slight dampnesscauses the dye to bleed and may in turn effect the dyeing of othermaterials, with which it comes into contact, morepermanently than thepaper, while excessive moisture or repeated wetting will largelydissolve and remove the color from the dyed sheet.

The procedure hitherto available for dyeing paper have consisted ineither dyeing the pulp from which the paper was subsequently to be madeor passing the paper through a bath of dye (or between calender rollswet with the dye) followed by subjecting it to the usual operations forcreping.

Paper made by merely dyeing the pulp in the beater is generally notentirely satisfactory for the subsequent operations required for crepingon account of the tendency for the dye to go into solution in thecreping bath.

Furthermore, if it be attempted to render the colored pulp resistant towater, as by mordanting, this results in depositing an insoluble colorlake upon and between the fibers, thus more or less filling theinterstices and covering the surface of the fibers with a superficialinsoluble layer of the dye. Not only is such a result uneconomical of de but the colors thus obtainable are dull and ustreless. Moreover, onlya relatively small portion of the dye being combined within the fibers,an appreciable proportion is retained only by virtue of its mechanicaladhesion to the fiber surfaces.

This dullness of color is attributed to the fact that surface depositsof color substances are not susceptible of presenting a high degree oflustre or brilliancy of color. On the other hand, transparent coloredmaterial, has an inherently bright color value and also possesses anadditional surface lustre or sheen. These conditions in fact obtain withindividual cellulosic fibers which have been dyed with acellulosic-soluble dye but such fibers, as dyed in accordance with priorpractices of the art, have been overlaid by adherent coatings of thesolution which up on drying leave a deposit of dye which somewhatimpairs such brilliancy. Moreover, when it has been attempted to mordantthe dye, as in beater dyeing, this superficial coating has been renderedinsoluble and relatively opaque and dull, and hence the obtainment ofbright colors and resistance to moistureshave been heretoforediametrically opposed factors in the art of making colored paper, andmore especially so when undertaken in conjunction with the crepingoperation. It is therefore desirable to decrease so far as possible orpracticable the surface deposit of dye and at the same time to provide asufficient amount of color substance adsorbed or dissolved within thecellulosicfibers to produce the desired color shade, and to fix ittherein.

It has also been practiced to carry the paper through a dye treatment,either by passing the sheet through a solution of the dye, or betweencalender rolls adapted to apply the solution thereto, and then runningthe sheet through a creping bath or using a single creping bathcontaining the dye therein, followed by creping from the surface of aheated roller in the customary manner of procedure forobtaining theresult. But the product as produced by former practice contains dyeswhich are in large part water soluble so that they are easily removedupon subsequent wetting or by dampness.

It is therefore an object of this invention to make a colored crepepaper in which the colors shall be brilliant and substantially orcompletely contained within the fibers, and which shall be non-bleedingor relatively fast with respect, to the action of moisture thereon. Itis a further object that the process shall be economical of time, laborand ratio, as hereinafter to be explained. F urt-her objects of theinvention will appear from the following disclosure.

In brief, and as representative of its more essential elements, themethod of the invention includes the steps of treating a sheet of paperwith a solution of a dye and with a fixing reagent (with or withoutintermediate removal of excess of the first solution and/ or drying ofthe sheet, and either in the sequence stated or in the reverse order orsimultaneously) followed by creping the dyed sheet, preferably whilestill wetor damp from the previous stage of treatment. The liquid usedin the second treatment may also conveniently ISJBIX}? the additionalfunction of a creping The dye may be any suitable dyeing compound of thedesired color so long as it does not manifest any deleterious actionupon the paper and is capable of thoroughly and uniformly wetting andpermeating the cellulosic fibers of the same. Basic dyes are ordinarilyto be preferred and it is further generally desirable that the dye shallnot be affected by nor in turn corrode the apparatus employed.

For example, for an orange coloration of the paper the following dyesolution has been found eminently satisfactory:

Auramine (concentrated) 32 ounces, rhodamine 6 G DN ex 14 ounces, water60 gallons; while for green- Auramine (concentrated) 60 ounces,methylene blue (zinc free) 80 ounces, water -60 gallons, gives goodresults.

The fixing reagent will of course depend primarily upon the dye which isto be fixed or rendered insoluble and permanently associated with thepaper sheet. In addition, it is desirable that it should not reactappreciably with the apparatus nor be affected thereby, unless theapparatus be protected to prevent such reaction. It is also desirablefor some purposes that the fixing reagent and its reaction product withthe dye within the paper fibers shall be relatively transparent ortranslucent rather than opaque solids, so that the full color value andbrilliancy of the fixed dye may be effective.

For the purposes of the present invention, however, it is essential thatneither the dye or fixing agent shall seriously impair the crepingoperation. The creping operation,in general and more especially whenmaking a closely folded or finely creped paper,requires the provision offirm adhesion to a smooth surface or creping roll from which the paperissubsequently removed by a scraper or doctor blade, the paper leavingthe roll as the pressure of the doctor blade exceeds the strength of theadhesive. The plaited or creped efiect is imparted to the paper as thesuccessive portions of the sheet thus crinkled up leave the roll. Toeffect this result an adhesive such as glue, dextrine or the like isadded to that solution from which the sheet passes to the crepingoperation. Accordingly, for the purposes of the present invention it isimportant that neither the dye nor fixing agent shall seriously impairthe adhesion of the paper to the roll nor react with the adhesivematerial employed. In other Words, the several reagents should bemutually compatible. It is further advantageous if the adhesive may befreely admixed, in the requisite proportions, with the dye solution or,more desirably, with the solution of fixing reagent, withoutprecipitation or other adverse effect upon either reagent and withoutdeleterious effect upon the properties of the resulting solution. Thelatter may thereby serve the two-fold purpose of a dyeing or fixingsolution as the case may be and of a creping bath.

A fixing reagent which is especially appropriate to the conditionsencountered in coloring and making crepe paper is known as Katanol-Owhich is a reaction product oforthochlorophenol and sulfur in alkalinesolution at elevated temperature. However, other fixing agents may beemployed such as tannin, tartar emetic, direct dyes, the usual mordantsand other reagents of like characteristics.

' A typical and preferred application of the invention will be describedwith respect to the production of a high crepe ratio or a closely crepedtissue paper, or both, by means of the apparatus illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of apparatus suitable for thecontinuous dyeing and creping of paper in accordance with the presentinvention; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of apparatus adapted for the dyeing procedurealone, when the process is conducted in two separate stages ofoperations.

Referring to Fig. 1, the apparatus includes a roll 1 of the paper to becolored and creped which is carried upon a roller 2 mounted upontrunnions 3. The dyeing means or fixing bath 4 includes a guide roller 5followed by a flooding bar 6, a rubber roller 7 which dips into the dyesolution 8 contained in tank 9 and a cylindrical drying drum 10rotatably mounted at 11 and preferably hearing with adjustable pressureagainst the rubber roller 7. At the point of off take from drum 10 thereis placed a guide roller 12. An air nozzle or blower 13 may also beprovided adjacent the oil take from the'drying drum.

The creping means 15 include a guide roller 16 a flooding bar 17 arubber roller 18 which dips into the creping bath 19 contained in tank21 and contacts with creping roller 22 rotatably mounted thereabove.

Cont-acting with the surface of the Creping roll is mounted a doctorblade or knife 23 inclined at a suitable angle and adjusted inaccordance with the type of creping to be effected upon the paper. Aguide roller 24 is placed above the doctor blade, and re- Winder orgathering roller (not shown) is provided for taking up the finishedcreped product. An air nozzle 26 may also be placed adjacent to thecreping roll for effecting a more complete drying of the paperpreliminary to the removal thereof by the doctor blade.

The paper used is preferably light weight or tissue paper and isadvantageously finished with a smooth side such as that produced bypassing over a hot calender surface in the original manufacture thereof.It is also desirable that the sheet shall be readily wet and penetratedby liquid and that the individual fibers shall be rapidly saturated bythe dye solution to be used, but that it shall not absorb and retainlarge volumes of the solution. A still further helpful though notessential qualification is that the sheet shall be relatively strongboth while wet and while dry.

Preliminary to the operation of the apparatus, the sheet 1 is drawn fromroller 2, passed over guide roller 5, under the flooding bar 6 overrubber roller 7,-through the nip between the roller 7 and drying drum10, and thence over the drum and under guide roller 12. The sheet isthen passed over guide roller 16, under flooding bar 17 over rubberroller 18, through the nip between roller 18 and creping roll 22 to thedoctor blade 23, and thence over guide roller 24 to further dryingapparatus or a re- Winder, of any convenient tpye.--not shown.

In order to preserve the finished side of the sheet until after thecreping operation and also to develop and retain the sheen therefrom inthe finished product, it is preferable to bring this side into contactwith the smooth creping surface employed (which is preferably alsoheated).

The gathering apparatus or re-winder may be positively driven and it isusually preferably that the heavier rollers of the series should also bepositively driven, in proper relation with each other and withoutcreating unequal strains upon the sheet either while wet or dry, butmore especially while wet.

The dye, solution (such as that prepared according to the formu a abovegiven) is then supplied to'tank 9 while a solution of an appropriatemordanting reagent is added to tank 21, preferably Katanol-O of a concentration of 2% more'or less, in water, for example. To the second bath isadded a small amount of adhesive, thereby rendering the mordanting bathof suitable properties for use as a creping bath also. The adhesive mayconsist of glue, dextrine, or like sub stances, which are soluble inwater, adhesive, and not adversely affected by the mordanting reagent.It will be clear that, if the mordanting reagent be applied first (asfrom tank 9) and the dye solution second (as from tank 21) the adhesiveor creping reagent may be added to the dye bath. It may also bepractised to add the creping reagent to the first bath but ordinarilythis order of procedure will result in disadvantages and inconveniences.

In operation, the paper is drawn from roll 2 and over guide roller 5 andthence under flooding bar 6 and through the nip between rubber roller 7and drying drum 10. As the rubber roller 7 rotates, it carries upon itsouter surface a copious supply of dye solution from tank 9. Uponcontacting with the under surface of the sheet 1 this solution wets andpenetrates the same, and as the surface of the roller carries it throughthe nip of drum 10, the pressure therebetween forces an appreciable partof the dye solution through the sheet and out upon the upper surface. Itthen flows backward over the upper surface of the sheet and collectsalong the flooding bar 6 which tends to uniformly distribute the pool ofdyeing solution thus formed throughout he width of the sheet. The poolof dye solution and the contact and slight rubbing action of theflooding bar at this point upon the upper surface of the sheet stillfurther promotes the uniform wetting and penetration of the sheet by thesolution.

As the dye-wet sheet passes between the rubber roll 7 and drying drum 10a close contact of the sheet with the surface of the drum is effectedand at the same time substantial- 1y all of the superficially adherentand entrained solution is removed therefrom. The drum is preferablyheated, as by steam, which, assisted by a current of air from the blower13, may remove substantially all of the entrained moisture leaving thesheet relatively dry or with the amount of liquid required for thefixing and creping operations. A lesser degree of drying may besuflicient, especially in continuous sequence of operations, but removalof the excess dye solution before submitting it to the fixing reagent isextremely important if not essential for the obtainment of bright colorsand a brilliant sheen in the paper surface.

The sheet then travels under guide roller 12 over roller 16 under theflooding bar 17, where it is thoroughly permeated by the solution ofmordanting regaent or Katanol-O which may also contain glue or otheradhesive (which is inert with respect to the mordant) thence over roller18, and-between roller 18 and creping roller 22. The roller 18 carriesthe fixing reagent and crepin solution into contact with the under surace of the sheet, thereby thoroughly wetting the same. Part of thesolution penetrates the sheet and more is later forced therethrough asthe sheet passes between the rubber roller 18 and the creping roll 22.The solution which penetrates the sheet flows down over its uppersurface and gathers into a pool which spreads along the flooding bar 17relatively uniformly and throughout the width of the sheet.

The sheet, as it passes between the rubber roll and creping roll,intimately contacts with the latter and firmly adheres thereto as thesolution evaporates under the heat of the roll and in the air currentsfrom blower 26. When the sheet 1 reaches the doctor blade 23, theclosely fitting blade skives the sheet off from the creping roll andfolds it back upon itself in a succession of plaits or wrinkles thusforming hills and valleys of a greater or lesser height, de ending forexample upon the adhesion of t 1e paper to the roll and also upon theposition and shape of the doctor blade.

The length of the sheet is shortened by the creping operation,'1Q inchesof paper being insome instances reduced to four inches or less aftercreping while in others the shortening may be of the order of 5 to 4.This proportionate reduction in length is known as the creping ratio.

The creped sheet is then drawn up over guide roller 24 and may be passedthrough further drying apparatus if desired and thence to a take uproller, re-winder or other device for gathering it in convenient form.

As a modified form of the adaptation of the invention in actualpractice, it may be desirable to conduct the same inseparate stages ofoperation. To this end-the paper may be dyed (or mordanted) in anapparatus as shown in Fig. 2, in which like numerals correspond to likeparts in Fig. 1,the paper being dried immediately after the dyeing (ormordanting) operation and taken up on a re-winder 27. The thus dyed (ormordanted) roll of paper may be stored and subsequently creped asdesired, as in the man-,

ner already described, the creping solution containing the required dyeor mordant.

The colored crepe paper thus produced by either treatment ischaracterized by being susceptible of possessing either a high creperatio or a'fineness of crepe texture or both and also by its brightnessof color, a brilliant sheen and marked uniformity in both texture andappearance. These properties are further enhanced by employing tissueshaving a finished surface, but they are primarily to be attributed tothe Penetration of the fibers by a large proportion of the dye solutionand the fixation of the thus adsorbed dye, andto the removal of a. largepart of the superficial deposits of dye from the surface of the sheet.

Accordingly, the relatively dye free cellulosic surfaces retain theirlustre or quality for acquiring a lustre, and the total of reflected andtransmitted light is thereby greatly increased, resulting in the markedbrilliancy of the colored paper.

WVhatever the true explanation of the several desirable properties and'qualities manifested by paper colored and creped in accordance with theinvention, it is sufficient to state that in general a much moresatisfactory and desirable product is attained by this procedure, thatit may be controlled and produced at will upon an industrial scale ofoperations, and that it constitutes a product not hitherto known to theart.

It will be apparent that numerous changes may be made in the procedureof the invention and in the raw materials and reagents used, when it isapplied in actual practice and adapted to the varying conditions ofoperation and for the production of different qualities and kinds ofproducts desired, such changes and modifications are however, to beconsidered as comprehended by the above disclosure and included withinthe terms of the following claims,

I claim:

1. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper, which comprisestreating a sheet of paper with a dye solution and with a fixing reagent,and creping the same.

2. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper, which comprisestreating a sheet of paper with a dye solution and with a solution offixing reagent in the desired order, and thereafter creping the same,the second of said solutions serving as a creping bath.

3. Method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper which comprisestreating a sheet of paper with a solution of dye and with a solution ofa fixing reagent in the desired order, and with intermediate removal ofany excess of the first solution, and creping the sheet.

4. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper which comprisestreating a sheet of paper with a dye solution and with a solution offixing reagent in the desired order, and thereafter creping the same,the second of said solutions containing an adhesive and serving as acreping bath.

5. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper which comprisestreating a sheet of paper with an excess of dye solution, removing theunadsorbed residue of dye solution therefrom, treating the sheet with asolution of a fixing reagent, and creping the sheet directly aftertreatment with the fixing solution.-

6. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper which comprisestreating a sheet of paper with an excess of dye solution, removing theunadsorbed residue of dye solution therefrom, treating the sheet with asolution of a fixing reagent, containing an adhesive, and creping thesheet direct- 1y after treatment with the fixing solution.

7 A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper which comprisessubjecting a strip of paper first to a dye solution, then to a fixingreagent, and finally creping the same in continuous succession of steps.

8. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper which comprisessubjecting a strip of paper to a dye solution, by flooding the surfacethereof, removing any excess of dye solution from the sheet, subjectingthe sheet to a solution of fixing reagent and finally creping the dyedsheet.

9. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper which comprisessubjecting a strip of paper to a dye solution, flooding the surface,removing any excess of dye solution from the sheet, subjecting the sheetto a solution of fixing reagent, flooding the surface and finallycreping the dyed sheet.

10. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper, whichcomprises subjecting a strip of paper to a solution of a basic ye,removing any superficial excess of dye solution therefrom, treating thesame with a fixing agent and thereafter creping the thus dyed sheet.

11. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper, whichcomprises subjecting a strip of paper to a solution of a basic dye,removing any superficial excess of dye solution therefrom, treating thesame with a solution of Katanol-O and thereafter creping the thus dyedsheet.

12. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper, whichcomprises treating a sheet of paper with a basic dye solution and anammoniacal solution of Katanol-O and thereafter creping the sheet.

13. A method for making non-bleeding colored crepe paper, whichcomprises treating a sheet of paper with a dye solution and a solutionof fixing reagent and creping the wet sheet.

14. As a product of manufacture, colored tissue paper characterized bybrilliancy of color, by containing a dyestutf therein non bleeding withrespect to water, and by possessing a creped surface.

15. As a product of manufacture, colored tissue paper characterized bybrilliancy of color, by containing a dyestuff therein nonbleeding withrespect to Water, and by possessing a creped surface of a high degree offineness.

16. As a product of manufacture, colored tissue paper characterized bybrilliancy of color, by containing a dyestuff therein nonbleeding withrespect to Water, and by possessing a creped surface having a high creperatio.

17. Asa product of manufacture, colored tissue paper characterized bycontaining the color substance largely within the cellulosic fibersthereof, in relatively insoluble or nonbleeding condition and possessinga creped surface.

18. As a product of manufacture, colored tissue paper characterized bycontaining the color substance largely within the cellulosic fibersthereof and fixed, in relatively insoluble or non-bleeding condition, bya mordanting reagent and possessing a creped surface.

19. As a product of manufacture, colored tissue paper characterized bycontaining the color substance largely within the cellulosic fibersthereof and fixed, in relatively insoluble or non-bleeding condition, byKatanol-O and possessing a creped surface.

Signed by me at Framingham, Massachusetts', this twenty-eighth day ofSeptember,

GALEN H. SAYLER.

